Outlander star Sam Heughan raises £225k for cancer charity

OUTLANDER actor Sam Heughan's '˜My Peak Challenge' charity campaign has raised £225,000.

Actor Sam Heughan, who stars in Outlander, raises £225,000 in peak charity challenge. Pic John Devlin

The Scottish celebrity will donate the money to blood cancer charity, Bloodwise.

The charity will use the money raised to help to fund a clinical trial of a pioneering new method of treating acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), one of the most aggressive blood cancers.

Heughan launched the ‘My Peak Challenge’ campaign in January this year, which asks participants to commit to completing a new challenge, be it learning a new skill or reaching a new fitness target.

Heughan, 36, and his ‘Challengers’ were able to raise the incredible sum thanks to donations from all over the world by those inspired by people’s incredible feats.

The money will be able to fund two thirds of the of the clinical trial to be held at Oxford University which will see a new drug, made in collaboration with Stanford University in California, tested on leukaemia patients for the first time.

Doctors hope that the new drug will help enable patient’s immune systems to kills cancerous cells and be able to fend off the disease returning in future.

Heughan shared the success with his 254,000 followers on Twitter on Tuesday night.

He said: “Here’s the final total! Can’t thank you all enough! #peakers #supporters

“Every step taken, every goal achieved!”

Speaking about the success of his charity mission, he said: “It’s been brilliant to see this campaign evolve and I am thrilled by the amount it has raised for the charity.

“Participants have achieved amazing results and broadened their horizons.

“This will have such an impact on blood cancer research and help improve the lives of patients with one of the most aggressive forms of the disease”

His loyal army of fans were quick to praise the star’s charitable achievement and shared their own pride in being involved in the cause.

@JoeyBierly said: “This never would have been possible without you Sam. You inspired us.”

@AnneSMueller commented: “I’m so proud to be part of it even if it’s not much from my side. Thank you so much, Sam, for mobilizing the Clan.”

And @HintonAlisa said: “The clan has spoken. So proud to be a part of it. Be proud Sam.”

The types of challenges undertaken by participants for the charity range from people being inspired to try their very first 5k run, to others who have scaled mountains and ran marathons.

The clinical trial that the money raised will support is for a drug called Hu5F9-G4, which it is hoped will help stop signals from a protein called CD47, which prevents the body’s immune system from destroying cancer cells.

There are already plans underway for a follow-up ‘My Peak Challenge’ in 2017.

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